1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to the management of automotive parts, and more specifically relates to a system and method for utilizing RFID tags to manage and track parts in a vehicle.
2. Related Art
Obtaining effective automotive maintenance continues to be a major headache for consumers. Because the maintenance is typically done “beneath the hood,” the average consumer has no idea what maintenance was actually performed on the automobile. This inability to readily validate the actual maintenance done can lead to fraudulent activities by the service provider. For instance, service providers can easily over-bill a consumer by claiming to perform work that was not actually done, by performing services that were not necessary, by using refurbished or substandard parts, etc.
While the initial fraudulent act may be minor, such an act may lead to a more severe impact. For instance, a substandard air filter on a high performance vehicle can result in significant engine damage. Unfortunately, there is no current process available to consumers that allow them to easily validate the maintenance work performed by a service provider. Accordingly, a need exists for such a system and method that can intelligently keep track of parts in an automobile.